Benefits Of Taking A Power Nap

Do you find yourself feeling tired in the middle of the day? Are you groggy after you have eaten lunch? It is not at all unusual for people to feel fatigue in the middle of the day. You can even feel tired after you have had a good night’s rest the evening before. One way to help with being tired is taking a power nap in the middle of the day. A power nap is usually around thirty minutes long and can leave you feeling much better.

Napping is frowned on in general by our society. People do not normally take a nap while they are at work. Stay at home workers and parents are too busy to rest in the middle of the day. Yet, the benefits of a little bit of sleep in the middle of the day are very helpful. We have to get away from the attitude that taking a nap is lazy and shiftless. The key to being able to take advantage of afternoon rest is to understand how important it is for our bodies. You will not feel guilty for doing something that is healthy and important for your body.

According to About.com our bodies start to get tired in the middle of the afternoon. We also notice feeling groggy about eight hours after we wake up in the mornings. The human body needs rest. It is designed to rest. Just think about the natural order of things before technology. The middle of the day is usually the hottest.

It would be natural for our bodies to want to sleep and conserve energy until the day was cooler. Later, we would feel tired because it was starting to get dark. So it is only natural that our bodies still function the same way. The problem is that we have lights, schedules, computers, cars and all sorts of things to keep us awake.

You will be alert more the rest of the day if you can take a power nap in the middle of the afternoon. Your mind will be able to focus on work tasks better. You will be more organized and get more things done. Many people drive home from work or run errands while they are groggy. There are many car accidents from people needing sleep. You simply aren’t alert enough to react to an emergency as quickly. Car accidents are one of the few reasons that people need to make sure to get plenty of rest. You will feel more alert and able to handle whatever is going on with you during the day.

Most of us cannot power nap in the middle of the day. Our schedules are much too busy. One thing that you can do is to take a five minute break. Find a quiet spot and just simply close your eyes. This gives your body a chance to unwind a minute. You will have less stress. It will be easier to concentrate on your work and the tasks to do in the day with just five minutes of resting.

If it is possible, take two or three five minute breaks during the day. You can rest your head in your hands at your work desk. You can sneak off to the bathroom for five minutes if you are a stay at home worker or parent. If the weather is pretty try going outside to close your eyes for five minutes of relaxation.

You do not want to sleep more then about thirty minutes. Your body goes into different sleep cycles. Set your alarm so that you do not fall into a really deep sleep. You can end up being groggier after a nap if you rest too long. It is important to find out what works best for your schedule and for your body. The trick is to find out how long you need to feel more energy when you get up again. You might not be able to rest well at night if you sleep too long during the afternoon.

Avoid caffeine after 3pm. Caffeine stays in the body a long time. It will be harder for you to sleep at night if you drink too much caffeine. Your sleep will not be as deep which could mean being tired more in the middle of the day.

You can sneak in a power nap at work if you like the idea of getting some additional rest and energy. Set a cell phone alarm and rest in your car after you have eaten your lunch. You can rest between ten minutes and thirty minutes depending on how long a lunch break you have.

It works well to go to a nearby park or the back area of a shopping area. You will not have to worry about co-workers finding you napping in your car and looking silly. At the same time, you will have the advantage of being rested and able to work harder after your lunch hour. You might find that co-workers are jealous because you can get so much done in the late afternoons before time to clock out.

Another alternative is to meditate. Closing your eyes and completely relaxing for about ten minutes will help your body feel recharged. You will be able to focus better on work tasks. Your brain is getting a chance to unwind and refocus on the day. You might find that it is helpful to take a power nap just a few days of the week when your schedule is the most hectic.

If you have a deadline coming up it will be important to have rest. You can do it on those days to allow your mind better concentration. You will even find that you can get work done faster and better. When we are worn out or stressed out we do not work as productively. The tasks that we need to do seem to take longer then they did in the morning. Our speed and concentration is slowed down as we get groggy.

Moods are greatly affected by how tired we are. Have you ever noticed that you seem more irritable as the day gets longer?

Were you more patient with people and the kids in the morning rather then in the middle of the day? Getting some rest in the middle of the afternoon will help to keep you more calm and relaxed for the rest of the day. You will find that you have more patience to deal with co-workers, supervisors or the children. You can get more work done if you are less cranky in the late afternoons.

Taking a power nap in the middle of the day is a great way to boost your energy. Our bodies need a chance to unwind and relax a bit. If you cannot sneak in some rest at least close your eyes for five minutes and clear your mind. You can even try meditating in the middle of the day to relax and unwind some. Having plenty of rest will help you to have a better attitude throughout the day. Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon so that you can go into a deeper sleep at night. The key to taking a power nap is to find out how long of one works best for your body.

Are You Smart About Sleep?Do you wake up feeling rested on most days of the week, or are you just not a morning person? Getting a good night's sleep affects every aspect of your day, including your mood and your ability to be productive. And if that doesn't get your attention, listen up: Your sleep habits can even affect the number on the scale. Find out if you're smart about sleep, or if you need to be schooled by the Sandman with this quiz.